MA Child and Family Tax Credit for Disabled Spouses,

[murphytax]

Massachusetts allows a tax credit ($310) for disabled spouses as part of the Child and Family Tax Credit.  To claim the credit, the disabled spouse (though not actually a dependent for tax purposes), should first be listed on Schedule D1 which then flows to line 46 of the Massachusetts Form 1 where the credit is claimed.  Presently, there is no way to claim this credit in Lacerte without listing the disabled spouse as a dependent on the return.  Since the disabled spouse is already listed on the return as one of the taxpayers, they cannot also be listed as a dependent.  So Lacerte needs to develop a workaround to enable this credit to be claimed for disabled spouses without listing them as a dependent on the return.  I have a number of taxpayers who qualify for this credit and I imagine there are many other MA based tax professionals with this same issue.  I am hopeful for a fix sooner than later since the returns cannot be filed until it is.

Eric

[Intuit_Ruben]

Thanks for the idea  for disabled spouses to claim family tax credit without listing them as a dependent on the return. We are changing the status to "Open for voting".

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[murphytax]

Very disappointed in the process that Lacerte has for addressing programming omissions.  I have called Lacerte 3 times to make head way in getting this issue resolved or to check in on whether it is being addressed and each time left hanging with the suggestion to post the issue to this suggestion board.  I have asked to speak to a supervisor or a person who can find out if this issue is being addressed but am told that they cannot do that without some sort of permission which doesn't come.  The first two times I called the call the agent did not leave any call notes so I have had to repeatedly explain the issue which until fixed does not allow me to file a MA return and claim this credit for a disabled spouse.  Pro Series, also owned by Intuit, has the programming to allow the proper computation of this credit for a disabled spouse.  Lacerte, which is way more pricier than Pro Series does not and provides effective way to give the feedback to get it resolved.